The Box
by FaithinBones
Summary: Hank is entrusted with a box to be given to his grandson, Seeley.  Hank has to decide whether or not to give it to him.


The Box

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooo

Hank had been playing cards with his friends when Joseph had called him and asked him if it would be possible for Hank to come see him. Hank had hesitated; but, in the end he had told his son that he would come.

Hank had been shocked when he found out that Joseph was in the VA hospital, being treated for a failing liver.

Joseph had cried when he had seen Hank for the first time in twenty years. It had been Joseph's decision to stay away and for that Joseph was sorry.

When Hank had walked into the hospital room for the first and only time, Joseph said through his tears, "I'm sorry, Dad. I wish I could have been the son you deserved."

Stunned, Hank saw a very thin, very sick man lying on a hospital bed instead of the big, strapping son he had always known. "Joseph, what's wrong with you? You look like hell."

Smiling, Joseph said, "I'm dying Dad. I was going to work the conversation around to that fact; but, I know you hate it when I beat around the bush. Was I too direct? Should I have softened it up some?"

Shaking his head, Hank said, "Nah, you did the right thing. What's wrong with you?"

Shaking his head, Joseph said, "I guess I'm finally paying the price for my love of booze, Dad."

Seeing that Hank didn't know what to say, Joseph continued, "That's alright Dad. I made this bed and I have to lay in it. I'm glad you came to see me. I really appreciate it."

Nodding his head, Hank said, "Why do you want to see me Joseph? We haven't seen each other for twenty years. Why wait until you're dying to call me? Why couldn't you call me ten years ago? Five years ago? Hell, last year? Why wait until you don't have any time left?"

Nodding his head, Joseph said, "That's why I waited, Dad. I never could come up with the courage to call you. I didn't change, Dad. I couldn't. As far as calling my boys, well that was out. What I did, they hated me, they still hate me. I know that. You know that. They didn't want me around and I didn't blame them. You didn't want me around, I knew that too. I did everyone a favor by staying away."

Angry, Hank said, "Don't speak for me, son," Hank said. "Don't lay there and tell me you knew what I would do if you had tried to contact me. Hell, I don't know what I would have done; so, don't presume to think you knew. That isn't fair."

Nodding his head, Joseph said, "I'm sorry, Dad. I guess I'm sorry for that as well as everything else. I guess I should tell you why I wanted you to come to see me. I have some legal papers, at my apartment, I need you to take care of. I made Seeley my executor and sole beneficiary. I wrote you a letter and put it with the papers. I didn't write one to my sons because I knew they would just tear it up and throw it away. One more thing Dad. I have a box on my kitchen table with my papers. I need you to give the box to Seeley. You can look in it if you want to. Hell, I don't care. I don't have anything for Jared. I know that sounds bad; but, my gift to him was that I never treated him as badly as I did Seeley. I know Seeley made sure of that. He was a brave little man when it came to his brother. Again, I know that sounds bad; but, that's all I got, Dad."

Nodding his head, Hank said, "Alright, I got it. Do you have a key for me so I can get into your apartment?"

"Yea," pointing to the closet next to the bathroom, Joseph said, "It's in the envelope in the closet. Thanks for coming Dad. We'll probably never see each other again. I want you to know that I always loved you. Even when you chased me away from the kids. Hell, I loved you more when you saved my kids from me. Thanks, Dad."

Closing his eyes, Joseph drifted off to sleep.

Seeing that Joseph had said everything he was going to say, Hank left with the key to Joseph's apartment.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Hank had gone to his son's apartment and found the legal papers and the box, where Joseph had said they would be. Joseph had typed out some instructions about what to do about his apartment and his car. Hank put all of the stuff in a bag and carried it home.

Ooooooooooooo

Hank called the VA Hospital the next day to talk to his son; but, found out that his only son was dead. He had died at four that morning. Hank cried. He cried for his son. He cried for what had happened to his boy and he cried for himself.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

The box had sat on Hank's night stand for three days. Hank debated whether he wanted to look in it or not. He debated whether he should give it to Seeley. He actually considered throwing it away. He then thought he would put it with his personal stuff for Seeley to find when he finally died. He thought of all of those things; but, being the practical and sentimental man that he was, Hank sat down on the edge of his bed on the evening of the third day and picked up the box. Rubbing his thumbs over the edges of the box, Hank stared at the box. He feared what the box contained; but, he knew, if he was going to give it to Seeley, he would have to open it first. He couldn't just give it too Seeley. He still felt like he needed to protect Seeley from his father. Bracing his shoulders, Hank opened the box.

The first thing that Hank saw was the medal box in the box. He knew what it was before he opened it. The purple heart. His son had been a very brave man and had served in Vietnam. He had done his duty when some of his fellow citizens felt that it wasn't his duty at all. Joseph had resented being called a baby killer when he came back from Vietnam. That woman had just walked right up to him at LAX and had called him a baby killer. He had been warned by his company commander that the Army would take a dim view if he came across this attitude on the way home and made a scene. They had told Joseph that they would court martial him if he responded to any insults while he was traveling home, in uniform. The witch had her say and he didn't have his. Joseph had told Hank about it when he came home. Joseph had actually cried. Hank knew they were bitter tears.

Lifting the medal box out of the box, Hank then saw a Father's Day card that Seeley had made for his Dad. It had a child's handwriting on it and was done by a child trying to make his father see that he loved him. It was red, Joseph's favorite color. Hank hated red. It reminded him too much of the color of spilled blood. Hank had seen enough of that during World War II. Hank lost a lot of friends during that madness. They had done their duty; but, some had paid a heavy price. Their families paid the price that needed to be paid with the blood of their sons. They were heroes to Hank, just like his son was. Just like his grandsons were to him. His son and his grandsons did their duty and served. Hank was so proud of that fact.

Under the card, Hank found some snapshots. They were pictures of Joseph and Seeley. Seeley as a baby. Seeley as a toddler. Seeley as a young boy. There were no pictures of Jared. Hank knew that the younger age of Jared had prevented Joseph from collecting mementoes of Jared. Hank also knew that Jared had been very afraid of his father and hid when ever Joseph wanted to try to do anything with the boy. When you thought about it, it made sense to Hank. Why put yourself in harms way?

Placing everything back into the box, Hank closed the lid. Joseph's most treasured mementoes were in this box. Nodding his head, Hank knew he would have to give the box to Seeley. The boy may not want it; but, it was his decision to make. Hank would not keep this from him. It contained the good that was his son. It contained the hope that had been Joseph. Sober, Joseph had loved his sons. Joseph had loved Seeley and Jared. It was the liquor and the effects of that stuff that had made Joseph the demon that he became. The demon that haunted Seeley's and Jared's childhood. The demon that haunted Seeley's adulthood. The box was a reminder that the demon wasn't always present. It was a reminder that, sometimes, there had been a loving father.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

What do you think?


End file.
